One Word - RENEW

re·new  

/riˈn(y)o͞o/

Verb Resume (an activity) after an interruption. Reestablish (a relationship).

Synonyms renovate - restore - revive

Okay, so ... moving on. Or back.

My Word for 2013 reflects where I am right now. There are many new things happening in 2013 - the birth of my first grandchild in April. My 50th birthday in July. However, I am very much drawn to existing things which I feel are incomplete - my scrapbooking is a good example.

Renewing my focus on things which have gone on the back-burner will help me move toward my second half-century with more completion and also allow me to review and release what I am ready to leave behind. It means decluttering my possessions. Decluttering my time. Refocusing.

So, come along for the ride! One thing I am renewing is my photo a day project, such a staisfying thing from 2010. My new camera will make this very easy. I also hope to blog my journey through the year and, of course, keep up to date on Facebook ;)

New Year, New Word - but first, update on current word.

For the past few years, I have embraced the concept of One Word to focus on for the year, rather than specific resolutions.

2012 - Heal
2011 - Change
2010 - Enjoy
2009 - Live
2008 - Create

Looking back on 2012, it is ironic that I started out well on my quest to HEAL in mind, body & spirit. I returned to yoga and water aerobics. I started to see a physio, a naturopath, a psychologist - in addition to my myotherapist and chiropractor and I formally became a patient of Dr Jenny, after a year or more of aimlessly seeing whoever was available after the sudden death of my long-term GP, Dr Rob in 2010. I began to art journal, took a variety of online art classes and challenges , picked up my crochet hooks and knitting needles and set a new yearly reading goal on Good Reads. I was spending chunks of money of consultations and herbal treatments and really feeling I was making progress.

Then, around June, I ran into a new problem. I started to feel pain and numbness in my right hand, in the little finger and half of my ring finger. It wasn't MS numbness, that runs across my fingertips. I mentioned it to the team and everyone started to mention the ulnar nerve. Yoga and water aerobics became causes of pain. Knitting and crochet and reading caused pain. Driving and cooking. I was told activities that involved gripping should be avoided. Paintbrushes, scissors, pencils and pens. Computer. Shopping. Amazing how much gripping you do in the average day!

I was referred to a hand therapist. She was fantastic! She suggested a Nerve Conduction test, to measure the function of the ulnar nerve. This test is only done locally by the OTHER neurologist, not my MS one. So of I went and had the test and the results showed moderate abnormality. Hand therapist advised anything higher than mild needs surgery. GP says surgery. Myotherapist says do whatever I can to avoid surgery! So does chiro! Start chiro treatment twice a week which helps temporarily. All my therapists start focusing on my neck/shoulder/elbow/wrist/hand. My back complains at being neglected!!!!

So - HEAL. Well, sort of. Kind of. To be continued .....

Reviewing my yearly goals 2011

This time last year, and the year before, I looked back at my goals for the year before and set my intentions for the year to come.

Time to take that journey again.

This is what I started out with twelve months ago:

Goal: Capture the memories (was become a better photographer)
Strategies 2010
- always have a camera with me (DSLR, compact point and shoot or Blackberry)
- commit to the Project 365 and take a photo every day of the year.
- commit to Project Life and create scrapbook of the 365 photos.
- continue to scrapbook my way through photo prints and maintain current albums
- journal more, blog more, remember more!

Goal: Be as healthy as I can (now incorporating Enjoy More Yoga)
Strategies 2010
- Enjoy regular yoga: twice weekly classes where practical
- Continue water aerobics at least once and preferably twice weekly
- Eat less, move more
- Eat fruit, drink water
- Walk instead of driving
- Regularly use Wii Fit to chart progress.
- Lose weight at a safe and steady pace
- Swim for pleasure and movement (review need for ongoing classes)

So, how did they hold up? Not too badly, as it happens!


Goal: Capture the memories

Well, I lugged cameras with me all over the place in 2010 - my DSLR mostly, but also upgraded to a smaller point and shoot to go in my handbag and had my BB when I really needed to travel light. And I took 365 days of photos and compiled my Project Life album.

I didn't scrapbook as much as I would have liked - although I did achieve the LOAD (LayOut A Day) challenge in February, not long after that, my scrapping mojo went walkabout. I limped through the year scrapbooking little but capturing plenty of photos and memories for when the mojo gets back. I did blog more and collected plenty of memorabilia, but didn't start journalling.

Goal: Be as healthy as I can

Not too bad - regularly got to yoga once a week and the barrier to doing so twice-weekly was more to do with time-tabling than motivation. I did move to taking a second water aerobics class in  third term and my only regret is that took so much time procrastinating to do. And I began using time pre-class to swim laps - baby-laps, but laps none the less! I quit lessons because they were making me feel bad about what I couldn't do, so instead I started to focus on what I could do! At the bigger pool, I have mainly done back stroke, but at the smaller pool have started doing "my" breaststroke and have actually made progress!

I turned a big corner eating-wise when I rediscovered raw/whole foods and mostly I do well with breakfast, not too bad with dinner and less successful with lunch (I don't always ensure I have healthy options with me at work or make time to eat on busy days.) I started juicing again and found new ways to get extra fruit into my diet - including my super smoothie breakfasts - which even include spinach! I didn't get very far with the Wii once the summer holidays ended and my weight has been up and down, despite best intentions leading up to the wedding! But I think I ended the year weighing less that I started - the only time I ever weigh myself is when the Wii makes me - I rely more on how my clothes fit!

So - back to the future!

I am happy with my two goals, with the addition of a third and the revision of some strategies:

Goal: Capture the memories 
Strategies 2011
- always have a camera with me (DSLR, compact point and shoot or Blackberry)
- continue to scrapbook my way through photo prints and maintain current albums
- journal OFTEN, blog DAILY, remember more!

- create more - experiment with art journalling.

Goal: Be as healthy as I can 
Strategies 2011
- Enjoy regular yoga: twice weekly classes
- Continue water aerobics twice weekly
- Eat less, move more
- Eat fruit, drink water
- Walk instead of driving

- Explore getting my bike back in order and ride for pleasure
- Lose weight at a safe and steady pace
- Swim for pleasure and movement 

Goal: Invent the rest of my life (countdown to lift-off 29/7/2013)

Strategies 2011

- Establish a regular saving practice

- Take stock of all possessions 

- Explore options for life after 50 

- Plan for independent living as my nest empties

- Work out what I want to do when I grow up!

You will see I have added a whole new perspective to my goal-setting - my word for the year is CHANGE and I am embracing all that it means now and in my future.  The concept of a Second Adulthood really appeals to me and I am heading directly to one!

Same time next year :)

My One Little Word

For the past couple of years, I have embraced the concept of One Little Word for the year, generally attributed to scrap booker Ali Edwards

The idea is to have a word which defines your main goal for life that year.

In 2008, my word was CREATE.

In 2009, it was LIVE.

For 2010, a year that includes my daughter's wedding and much, much more, I decided the important thing is to ENJOY! I predict hectic times ahead, but they should all be good and even when they aren't, I will still strive to ENJOY the moment!

Reflecting

I actually set some goals at the beginning of 2008 - and stuck with them!

I know, how amazing?

I am not even setting new ones for 2009, I am sticking with the ones I am working on.

So, how am I going?

Goal: Become a better photographer.
Strategies
- learn how to use my new camera
- follow online tutorials
- learn how to use Photoshop
- take photos most days

Well, I did work on these. I bought a Dummies guide to my camera and read it. I started - and maintained for 3 months - the 365 project. I experimented with Photoshop, although it still bamboozles me! The online tutorials were a bit hit and miss, either too basic or too complex!

Goal: Enjoy more yoga
Strategies
- Enrol in local yoga class
- Make time to practice regularly
- Use my existing resources

Good progress here! I finally stated classes in second term and have done TWO per week most weeks for the rest of the year! Some weeks I only managed one class, but I have stuck with it! I practice a bit at home with the Wii Fit anddo conciously make time for meditation most days. And I dusted off the yoga mat and also got myself a yoga bolster!

Goal: Be as healthy as I can
Strategies
- Eat less, move more
- Eat fruit, drink water
- Respect my body
- Stretch often
- Practice yoga
- Walk instead of driving
- Be hydrated

Despite the unwanted apearance of a) a goitre in my thyroid, b) a spondylothesis in my spine and c) tendonitis in my shoulder, my health hasn'tbeen too bad this year! I have walked a lot more, not only because of the addition of a puppy to the household :) I park the car further away and walk and I conciously choose to walk when I could drive, especially when running errands at work. I am eating more fruit and working on the water thing more. Yoga is happening. Respect has come into play by working with my back and other joints to prevent pain and injury: I have been seeing a chiropractor and this has made a great difference. I am no longer a person who lifts or carries - I own various trolley bags!!!!

I am raring to go in 2009 and look forward to reporting back thi time next year!!